Game-day woes perplex Demon Deacons

Published: Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 12:18 AM.

WINSTON-SALEM — It looks too good at times to Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe, so that’s what makes the performances so perplexing.

“You scratch your head,” Grobe said Tuesday. “We’re getting good, hard work out of our players, we’re just not getting anything out of it. We’re just not getting carryover to Saturday, for whatever reason.”

Practice sessions haven’t translated into game situations for the Demon Deacons, who await North Carolina State’s visit Saturday for an Atlantic Coast Conference game.

Take away the second half Sept. 21 at Army, and the Demon Deacons (2-3 overall, 0-2 ACC) haven’t produced a solid half of football this season, Grobe said.

“We’re a resilient team and we can bounce back,” senior tight end Spencer Bishop said. “There’s definitely a sense of urgency, especially in the offensive meeting rooms.”

It might take more than that. Grobe said his coaching staff sometimes appears more energized than the players by the time game days arrive. So it might require an attitude adjustment for there to be a turnaround.

“Our best teams have played with a chip on their shoulder,” Grobe said. “I’m not sure this team does.”

WINSTON-SALEM — It looks too good at times to Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe, so that’s what makes the performances so perplexing.

“You scratch your head,” Grobe said Tuesday. “We’re getting good, hard work out of our players, we’re just not getting anything out of it. We’re just not getting carryover to Saturday, for whatever reason.”

Practice sessions haven’t translated into game situations for the Demon Deacons, who await North Carolina State’s visit Saturday for an Atlantic Coast Conference game.

Take away the second half Sept. 21 at Army, and the Demon Deacons (2-3 overall, 0-2 ACC) haven’t produced a solid half of football this season, Grobe said.

“We’re a resilient team and we can bounce back,” senior tight end Spencer Bishop said. “There’s definitely a sense of urgency, especially in the offensive meeting rooms.”

It might take more than that. Grobe said his coaching staff sometimes appears more energized than the players by the time game days arrive. So it might require an attitude adjustment for there to be a turnaround.

“Our best teams have played with a chip on their shoulder,” Grobe said. “I’m not sure this team does.”

Grobe said his decision to bench several starters in the second half of Saturday’s 56-7 loss at Clemson wasn’t a maneuver to bank everything on the future. He said senior Tanner Price remains the starter at quarterback even though he didn’t play after halftime against Clemson.

“If you’re not going to play your backup guys when it’s 35-7, then you’re wasting an opportunity,” Grobe said. “We’re really not preparing for the future now. We’re preparing to try to win Saturday.”

Wake Forest players maintain an encouraging outlook.

“We came back with a ‘push hard’ mentality,” senior defensive end Kristopher Redding said. “After losing like that, you want to respond, so there’s definitely a sense of urgency. From your first days of playing football, you’re taught to have a short memory. The blessing is you have another game in seven days.”

But time could be running out on a team with 12 seniors listed as starters.

“I feel like we will put it together,” senior safety A.J. Marshall said. “We have a lot of football to play.”